MERCY HEALTH TO SPONSOR SEAGATE FOOD BANK’S “NO SHOW GALA™” TO HELP FIGHT CHILDHOOD HUNGER
Deborah Vas, executive director, is pleased to announce that Mercy Health will be the major sponsor for the non-profit Toledo SeaGate Food Bank’s “NO SHOW GALA™”. The NO SHOW GALA is a non-event that culminates on April 28, with a focus on raising funds to fight childhood hunger.
Promotional pieces encourage friends and supporters to do “whatever they’d like” that evening. The purchase of tickets enters donors into a drawing on April 28 for a variety of good time experiences including roundtrip airfare for two to one of three Florida destinations, a 2-night stay at the award-winning downtown Renaissance hotel, throw out the first pitch at a Mud Hens game, Cedar Point passes, family membership at the Toledo Zoo, live show at the Stranahan, tickets to Sesame Street at Huntington Center, gift cards from popular area restaurants and much more.
Tara Linker, spokesperson for Mercy Health said “we are very pleased to support this worthwhile cause which is in perfect alignment with our mission. We know that one in five children are living food-insecure lives here in northwest Ohio and SeaGate Food Bank has several important programs which address this ongoing need.”
According to Ms. Vas, “the “”NO SHOW GALA™ is designed to call attention to the nutrition needs of children living in poverty, without creating an actual event. We hope that a non-event that does not require people to buy new clothes, get dressed up and go somewhere will be very popular. Even though it’s a tongue-in-cheek approach to fundraising, childhood hunger remains a very serious challenge.”
Tickets may be purchased online at SeaGateFoodBank.org until April 27. Suggested donation is $25 each, three for $50 and seven for $100. it’s a very interesting approach to funding important ongoing programs for children.
The independent non-profit Seagate Food Bank started in a garage in 1976 as Toledo’s first food bank and moved to its present location at 526 High Street in 1980. Today, its broad-based network of programs helps feed over 130,000 individuals each month. It provides food to over 400 non-profit food pantries and programs across eight counties in Northwest Ohio. It does this with a full-time staff of only eleven and an administrative cost of less than 1%, making it one of the most efficiently run non-profits in Ohio.
SeaGate Food Bank continually develops programs to meet the needs of those it serves. Children’s programs include Project PJ, Milk Money for Kids, the Eat Right Academy and Help Me Grow newborn assistance. Learn more at seagatefoodbank.org.